A.N. So I managed to finish rewriting the previous chapters. Mostly I just changed Luca from 12 to 16, and made Destin 17. That automatically bumps Sasha up to 16 and Emily and Mark to 15. I also corrected a few spelling errors here and there, changed a bit of dialogue, and added a small interaction between Luca and Sasha's mother. So if you keep in mind the age change, you'll shouldn't need to reread everything, unless you want to. Also, thank you Cotton Candy Mareep, it made me smile to see you review again! I have also decided what my favorite quote is: Just, like, Christmas…. All over her face. If you remember that, more power to you! Now for the first new chapter in… forever! Enjoy.
I heard Luca and Destin leave, but I pretended to be asleep. Ever since the day before, when I had helped Luca grow that cucumber, I had felt odd. It was hard to explain, but I felt… Stronger. Like a piece of me that had been asleep was suddenly… Awake. My skin felt too tight, and everything was super sensitive. I could hear better, see better, and even smell better.
When I was sure they were gone, I got up quietly, and slipped on my work clothes. I wasn't going to help on the farm today, but a dress would be impractical for getting up to the springs, and following Luca later.
The walk to the spring was quiet, and I had time to think. It was weird, I'd only known him for a few days, but I already felt such a connection to him. I didn't understand it. He was like a long lost brother. A long lost twin brother. I saw so much of myself in him, and I just couldn't get past it.
When I was standing in front of the tree, I realized I had spaced out. But there, in front of me, was my mother. She was beautiful, standing easily eight feet tall and with beautiful blue eyes and hair. She also had these amazing wings stretching out behind her. Her smile always made my day better.
"Sasha, what's the matter?" She asked, looking concerned. She always seemed to know why I had come.
"I don't know. I feel… weird." I said, and explained the cucumber. She looked at me, examining me, and then she smiled, clapping her hands.
"You're powers are fully activated!" She said, and I frowned at her.
"What do you mean?" I asked, and she stopped, and smiled brighter.
"My children aren't able to come to their full potential on their own; my powers are spread too thin to fully activate the gifts I give my children. And since your gift was so strong, you weren't able to activate it as much. That's why Mark has always had a better handle on his powers, which were also much more pronounced. You'll understand your full potential in time, but for now, know that everything is happening normally. Though your skin being tight… I'm not sure about that. I think you should go with Luca when he leaves. Take this." She said, handing me a bottle of water. "It's spring water from my springs. It's going to be a part of the potion Luca needs to make. Also, take this." She said, waving her hands. A necklace appeared around my neck, and I gasped. It was pretty, a small crescent moon made of glass. It appeared to be hollow, with liquid in the center. It emitted rainbows as it caught the light. The water also had a sort of blue-ish tinge to it.
"What is it?" I asked, and mom smiled.
"It's a spell woven into water mixed from my spring and the river. When you smash it, it will bring you back here, to this exact reality. Luca has one, just like it. I want you to be able to come home when everything is done. Only use it in an emergency. It will only bring one person, the person who crushes it, back here. And I have one last gift. It's a special sword imbued with a spell that sends monsters back to the first forest, where they come from. It's a magic weapon forged in this very land long ago, back before the monsters were banned from coming here. I'm afraid the world you're going to is filled with them." She said, and handed me a sheathed sword. The sheath seemed to shimmer in the light, the same color as mother's aura. I unsheathed it a bit, and the sword was thin and sharp, with a vine pattern carved into it. It was a beautiful weapon, but still a weapon.
"But… this is a weapon, mom!" I said, looking at her in confusion, and she smiled softly.
"A weapon, yes, but it will not harm anyone. You couldn't even cut your own finger on it. It will only harm monsters, and after their bodies are destroyed, their souls will be returned to the first forest to be brought back to live a peaceful life. I promise you, this sword does not bring death, it brings happiness." She said, and I resheathed it, slinging it over my shoulder.
"There is one more piece of this gift." She said, waving her hand, and her blue aura surrounded me, glowing bright and fading away. When I looked down, my clothes had changed. They were heavier, stiffer, made of a thick but also soft leather. It was the same color as her clothes, a light blue. I was wearing a sort of long sleeved dark blue shirt, with a light blue leather corset with the same vine patterns tooled into it. I also had black pants that seemed to be skin tight, but thick as well. I couldn't tell what they were made of. They were tucked into light blue boots with a slight heel to them that came a little above my ankles. Lastly, I had a blue sash around my waist, made of a type of silk.
"Armor?" I guessed, and she nodded.
"It may not seem to be very strong, but trust me, it is. They also have a spell worked into them, making them stronger. It will keep you safe. Now, you must go! Destin is looking for a pontata root, and Luca is visiting his father at the top of the mines. They still need a fugue mushroom, and they're going to go see the Witch. If you hurry, you can grab a mushroom and get to the Witches house before them." She said, and I nodded.
"Father?" I called out, approaching the throne on top of the mountain. I fingered the bottle of shining milk, not sure if I should have come. But then, the familiar red aura appeared, and he misted into existence in front of me.
"Luca. Are you leaving today?" He asked, and I nodded.
"I wanted to say goodbye. I brought you a present." I said, handing him the bottle of milk. "Mom said it was one of your favorite things. If I'd been my sister, I would have brought you an apple, but my talents are with the animals." I said, blushing. Crops had never been my strong point, but I had never tried bringing him a gift, so I was nervous to see if he would enjoy it.
After a moment, he smiled at me. It wasn't a big smile, but it was a kind smile. One that touched his eyes. He took the bottle, and it disappeared. "Thank you, I'll treasure it. Now, what have you leanred?" He asked, and I sighed. I told him all about what the wizard had told me, and where I was going to go with Destin. He listened in silence, occasionally nodding. When I was done, he sighed.
"I have no power over the place you are going. You will still be able to use your abilities, of course, but you will not have any support from any of the gods. This place is a godless place. The people care for the earth. And the earth responds. But there are also monsters. You will need a few things." He said, closing his eyes, and waving a hand. My body was surrounded by a red glow, and when it faded, I was wearing new clothes.
I was wearing a simple maroon t-shirt, with a sort of long, sleeveless shirt sort of thing made of leather. I also had a pair of soft black pants tucked into high leather boots, which were a dark red, almost black. And I had something strapped to my waist.
I looked down, and gasped. It was… a sword? I looked up at him, and he nodded.
"This new world is dangerous. That sword is enchanted with a spell that will send the monster back to their own world upon death. I know that you wanted to go to their world, but that isn't the one you want to go to. This world is an in-between world, one where the other races and the monsters inter-mingle. If there is anywhere you could find the answers you seek, it is there." He said, and I shrugged.
"Couldn't you just tell me?" I asked, and he shook his head.
"I would, if I remembered. The spell that was used to wipe the Devourer from the world's memory was so powerful, it affected even me. The only ones not affected were the water spirits and those banished to this other world." He said, his face showing his regret. "The idea was that nobody would know enough to go after him. Unfortunately it seems to have backfired on us." He said, and shook his head. "I have one thing left that may help you. I have held onto it for all these hundreds of years, not sure why, but knowing it was important." He said, handing me a small pouch. It shimmered in the sunlight, as if it was spun from pure gold. It had a vine pattern embroidered into it with a glittery red thread, and small red gems, probably rubies. I opened it, and inside was a single round… thing. I couldn't tell what it was, but it was glowing, red, and seemed to be quite similar to my father's aura.
"Thank you." I said, and he nodded, a quick, short nod.
"You're friend in the mine has a similar change of clothes now. Though his are green. You should be ready to visit the Witch. And be careful." He said, vanishing with a small flash of red light. I smiled. If I ever got home, I promised myself to bring him a bottle of milk every day.
I backtracked and found Destin in the mine, and was surprised to find him wearing the exact same clothes as me, but in green. So he had given him the same gift.
"I found the mole!" He said, grinning and holding up the root. I laughed.
"Yeah, but he was rude! Stupid blind rat." Faith grumped, and I laughed, along with Destin.
"We should head down to the Witches hut, but… Take my hands." I said, holding out my own. Faith dropped onto my shoulder.
Destin took my hands, and I closed my eyes, picturing the entrance to the forest. When I opened them, we were standing in front of it. Destin let go of my hands, and clutched his stomach. He stumbled a few steps and puked into the bushes.
"Are you okay?" I asked, and he wiped his mouth.
"I think so. It felt a lot different than last time. Did you feel anything different?" He asked, and I shrugged. It had felt the same as always.
"Could it be because of your change in species?" I asked, thinking back to when the goddess had touched him back at the house.
He shrugged. "Maybe. So, the Witch lives in here, right?" He said, and I nodded, taking out the key I still had, and mentally cringing. Mom would kill me when I got back. If she wanted to get back into the woods, she would have to speak to Hamilton to get another one.
"Yup. Be careful though; the woods are magic. We'll need an ax." I said, and then paused. I didn't have an ax.
"Need a hand?" Sasha said, stepping out of the forest. She held up a well-worn, but nicely used ax. I laughed.
"How did you know?" I asked, but then I caught sight of her clothes, and what was strapped to her back. She smiled.
"Mom told me where you were going. Apparently it's my destiny to come with you." She said, and I grinned.